Project Facts
- We will widen nearly five miles of Guide Meridian to four lanes with a two-way turn lane.
- Construction will be complete in 2008.
- More than 23,000 drivers use Guide Meridian just north of Bellingham on a daily basis.
May 2008
- Paving of the new Guide lanes between Horton and Smith roads continues, and should be complete by the first week of May, if the weather holds out. Drivers could be driving on the new lanes by the first week of May.
- Crews will shift lanes of traffic for about a month to construct a new section of highway between Horton and Smith roads. Lanes and shoulders will be narrower, and drivers are encouraged to slow down through the work zone. The work is weather dependent.
- Utility companies continue to move water, gas and sewer lines, and telephone and power poles away from the road.
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Overview
We will transform Guide Meridian (SR 539) from a narrow two-lane roadway to a wider and safer four-lane highway with a two-way turn lane in the middle from Horton Road to Ten Mile Road. The project also involves building new bridges over Four Mile and Ten Mile creeks.
Why is WSDOT
widening Guide Meridian?
Approximately 23,000 drivers use Guide Meridian on a daily basis north of Bellingham. The highway is a popular freight route for semitrucks, too. When it was first built, the two-lane Guide Meridian served the needs of drivers. Since then population, development and congestion have exceeded the limits of the highway. Drivers routinely experience congestion and delay. We will widen the highway and incorporate safety features to help improve safety and mobility for drivers.
The End Result
The highway will be two lanes in each direction with a two-way turn lane in the middle, providing more room for drivers. In all, nearly five miles of Guide Meridian will be transformed from a narrow two-lane roadway with minimal shoulders to a wider and safer four-lane highway with 8-foot shoulders. New lighting and turn lanes at intersections will help reduce accidents and relieve congestion.
Project Benefits
- Turn lane - we will widen the highway to four lanes with a two-way turn lane to improve safety and traffic flow.
- Traffic signals - we will install new signals at Smith, Axton and Laurel Road intersections.
- Environment - we will build 11 water quality detention ponds. The Deer Creek culvert will be replaced to improve stream flow and fish habitat.
- Bridges - We will replace both the Four Mile Creek and Ten Mile Creek bridges with wider, safer bridges.
What is the project timeline?
- Fall 2008 - finish construction.
- June 2007 - start construction.
- May 2007 - awarded project to IMCO General Construction of Bellingham.
- March 2007 - advertised project contract to contractors.
- April 2006 - gave project presentation to Whatcom County Council.
- May 2001 - plans approved for buying the necessary property to widen and enhance the Guide Meridian.
- Summer 1999 - funding approved for project design, right of way, and construction.
Public Involvement
Your thoughts and opinions are important to us. Contact the project design office for more details on project involvement.
Environmental Protection
WSDOT makes every effort to assess and minimize environmental impact from our projects. During project design, WSDOT will work to reduce the impact to wetlands, creeks and rivers in the project area. A detailed analysis of the project's environmental impacts will be completed and, if necessary, an appropriate plan for mitigation of impacts will be developed and documented as part of the environmental documentation and environmental permitting processes.
This project will provide a stormwater collection and treatment system, roadside planting and new wetlands.
Please visit the WSDOT Environmental
Services Web site for more information.
Increasing safety is one of our priorities
Widening the highway will improve motorist safety. Motorists will be able to see farther down the highway, and allow them to move out of the main traffic lanes to turn into driveways and businesses. The wide shoulders will provide room for emergency stops and allow the postal service to deliver mail out of the way of traffic.
The number of driveways with access to the highway will be reduced to increase motorist safety. Most of the existing driveways will remain in their present locations. Property owners with more than one driveway with access to the highway were asked to move or remove their driveway to be in compliance with WAC 468-52-040. Limiting driveways with access to the highway will help reduce crashes.
Will this project impact tribal resources?
At WSDOT we seek to address the concerns of the tribal nations using the process outlined in Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act and the WSDOT Tribal Consultation Policy adopted in 2003 by the Transportation Commission as part of the WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan.
Section 106 consultation was initiated in November 2000 with the Nooksack and Lummi tribes. Consultation was re-initiated in April 2004 with these same two tribes, plus the Samish. Follow-up calls were made to each. When the cultural resource survey is completed they will be sent a copy and asked to review and comment on it.
We consulted with the Lummi tribe when we developed the cultural resource survey and the environmental assessment for this project.
Financial Information
This project is funded through the following fund sources:
- Existing funds - $63.4 million
- Other agency funds - $2.9 million
developer fees
- Total funding available from all sources - $66.3 million
For project schedule and updates, please see the Quarterly Project Report.
Contractor bids on this project were opened in March and the lowest bid was $3.6 million over the engineer’s estimate due to higher than anticipated contractor costs for asphalt, copper and storm sewer work. Since this unanticipated higher cost was not in the Governor’s proposed 2007-09 budget, the Department notified the Legislative Transportation Committees of the increase. The cost increase was included in the 2007 Transportation Budget passed by the Legislature in April. The project was awarded for $39.9 million.
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Project Engineer Chris Damitio
WSDOT Bellingham Project Office
460 Stuart Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
Phone: 360-788-7400
E-mail: DamitiC@wsdot.wa.gov
Communications Dustin Terpening
WSDOT Mt. Baker Headquarters
1043 Goldenrod Road, Suite 101
Burlington, WA 98233-3415
Phone: 360-757-5997
E-mail: Terpenid@wsdot.wa.gov
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